Rousse Byzantine is a Belgian jacquard woven wall tapestry. The original artwork by Alphonse Mucha was completed in 1897. Mucha regarded Byzantine civilization as the spiritual home of Slavic culture. In his style he incorporated a variety of decorative motifs inspired by Byzantine art, such as mosaic works, icons, sumptuous costumes and accessories.
The woman is seen in profile against an ornate background of vegetal arabesques, wearing highly ornate jewelry in her hair, which is evocative of Byzantine design as suggested in the title. Strands of hair fall beyond the circular frames, bridging the gap between the women and the viewer and lending a sense of depth to the otherwise flattened composition. The exquisite pattern surrounding the circular frames simulates lacework, another decorative element familiar in Moravian craft work.
Brunette Byzantine #8935 is the companion piece to this work.